


Do You Wanna Ride

by phdmama



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Booty Shorts and Glitter, M/M, Miscommunication, Ms. Jones is a badass, Preschool Gala, crossed wires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-09 00:38:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17991554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phdmama/pseuds/phdmama
Summary: When Liam's attractive new business partner wins riding lessons with Harry, hilarity ensues.





	Do You Wanna Ride

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Justalittlelouislove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justalittlelouislove/gifts).



> I really don't know much about horseback riding or stables or anything. The lovely J [someonethatsfunny](http://someonethatsfunny.tumblr.com/) gave it a quick read-over, but all mistakes are mine and mine alone!
> 
> This is a gift for the wonderful Nadia because I'm so glad I'm getting to know her, AND she inspired this fic. She knows why.

Harry takes one last look at the display. He’s gotten a prime spot this year, he thinks with satisfaction, right in the middle of the first table of baskets. The basket raffle for the Garden Nursery School is the biggest fundraiser they have all year. Harry’s always been willing to contribute, upstanding member of the community blah blah blah, but now that his niece Lucy is attending, he’s _extra_ motivated.

He’s added a photo montage this year, courtesy of Zayn. He frowns at it, really unsure why Zayn felt that the picture of him from last Halloween, dressed as a saucy sailor lass and winking cheekily over one shoulder, was an appropriate advertisement for his business, but whatever. It’s too late now. He’s also confused by that photo Zayn had snapped of him gardening in slightly-too-short cutoffs, bent over as he’s examining the tomatoes — he’s going to have a bumper crop this year, he’s absolutely sure — but Zayn’s the artist, not Harry.

He adjusts the pile of flyers for the school and then takes a deep breath. It’s gala time.

It’s always a fun evening. Stovington is a small, tight-knit community, and Harry’s lived in it his whole life, so he knows just about everyone here. And now that he’s taken over his grandmother’s equestrian barn and school, he feels like he’s really found his place as an adult. He spends the next couple of hours drifting from conversation to conversation, and enjoys the cash bar.

“Harry!” From the cheer in Liam’s voice, Harry’s not the only one who's been enjoying the bar. “How are you? Hey, how’s Francine?”

“Oh, much better,” Harry says with an easy smile. “Honestly, at least half of it was Francine being her usual dramatic self,” and he and Liam exchange knowing glances.

Liam is the large animal specialist at the local vet’s office, and Harry knows his horses couldn't be in better hands.

“I didn’t think I’d see you here,” Harry says.

Liam shrugs. “It’s a fun night, and I always love seeing who wins the baskets, you know?”

“Harry!” Warm arms wrap around Harry’s neck, choking him slightly in their enthusiasm, and Harry coughs. “Oh, whoops, sorry, man,” and the pressure eases.

“Niall!” Harry says happily. “I haven’t seen you in age.”

“You mean, other than movie night last weekend and lunch on Tuesday?” Niall asks.

He’s somehow managing to juggle two drinks and an impressively large stack of chicken wings on a small paper plate that seems inadequate for the task.

“Exactly,” Harry says and winds an arm around Niall’s shoulders. “Did you buy tickets?”

“Did I buy tickets?” Niall shouts, “Did I buy tickets?? Of course I bought tickets.” He gives Harry a sly look. “I’ve been raffling all night.”

“Just remember,” Harry feels compelled to say, “A raffle is a wish to win, Niall, it’s all probability and luck. You know?”

He still remembers three years ago, when Niall had lost out on the Disney princess basket to Ms. Jones, the town librarian who’s got to be 80 if she’s a day, and it had almost gotten ugly. Niall had not taken it well and had ended up banned from the library for a year before Ms Jones had finally relented and offered Niall the duplicates of the movies she already owned (which really was most of them). Niall’s still a little bitter she hadn’t shared the chocolate.

“I know,” Niall says easily, “I’m actually raffling for someone else as well.”

“Oh?” Harry tries to think of who he hasn’t seen tonight but comes up empty.

“Louis can’t get here until 8:30, so I promised him I’d drop his tickets for him.”

“Oh,” Harry says.

“He bought a hundred bucks worth of tickets,” Niall continues. “I’ve bid them all for him. And a few of my own, of course.”

“Whoa,” Harry says, wide-eyed. “That’s a lot of tickets.”

He’s heard a lot about Louis, a buddy of Liam’s from Tufts, who moved from Burlington a month ago to take over as the small animal specialist for the practice, but they haven’t gotten to meet yet. He’s renting the apartment over Zayn’s store, and all Zayn had said was “He’s chill, bro.” That does happen to be Zayn’s highest compliment.  

“He’s coming later?” Harry asks. “I’ve been wanting to meet him, it’s just been so busy with show season.”

“Definitely,” Liam says. “He’s covering the clinic until 8, and said he’d run home to get cleaned up so he could be here in time for the ticket drawing.” Liam is bouncing on the balls of his feet, almost vibrating with excitement. He gives Harry a wide-eyed grin, “I told him that was the best part!”

“And,” Harry says, checking his watch, “It’s almost time. I hope he gets here soon.”

They move to the side of the room, behind the display tables. Trial and error over the last few years have taught them that this is the best spot for viewing the crowd’s reactions.

The drawing begins. Niall wins the first basket, assorted gourmet coffees and syrups, along with a fancy milk steamer, and Harry shudders at the idea of Niall that caffeinated. The next ten baskets are more child-oriented, so Harry hasn’t bid on them, given that he doesn’t actually have children yet.

And now, it’s time for his basket. Harry thinks this year’s may be the best yet. He’s included a copy of Black Beauty, Stephanie’s Horse Jumping Lego set, a stuffed horse, and a certificate he printed up and decorated himself, heavy on the glitter. It’s gonna be a ten-year-old girl’s dream, Harry knows it in his soul.  He frowns at the punch cup in his hands and thinks maybe it’s time to lay off. Who knows what Ms. Jones spiked it with this year?

“And the winner of Basket number 11, a series of five riding lessons and some other valuable horse-related memorabilia is…” Nancy reaches into the bowl and pulls out a tag, squinting at the writing, and even from fifteen feet away, Harry can recognize Niall’s chicken scratch. “I think it says Louis Tomson?”

“Tomlinson,” Niall calls out, “It’s Louis Tomlinson.”

He turns to Harry with a crow of delight. “I put the ticket in there!” He makes wide innocent eyes at Harry. “What are the odds of that? That he won?”

“I mean, does he want riding lessons?” Harry asks.

He thinks it’s possible. He knows Louis grew up outside of Boston, and then was living in Burlington, so the move to more rural Vermont, even if they’re only a half hour from Montpelier, maybe it's taken some adjusting and he’s looking for something new to do.

“Oh,” Niall says in a tone of great satisfaction, “I’m quite sure he does.”

Harry shrugs and turns back to the raffle. As Zayn wins the spa makeover basket, much to the chagrin of Ms. Jones, who shakes her tiny, wrinkled fist at him and says, “Next year, Malik,” as if somehow Zayn has influenced the outcome of the drawing with his preternatural good looks, Harry becomes aware that someone has entered the room and is sliding in next to Liam. He glances over and his jaw honest-to-goodness drops for a moment.

Liam’s vet friend is hot, like _insanely_ hot, and suddenly Liam’s rambling about how talented he is with his hands takes on an entirely different connotation. He’s not a big guy, maybe a couple of inches shorter than Harry. He’s lean but muscled, in a short-sleeved button-down shirt and khaki pants, as well as battered pink Converse high tops and Harry thinks he might be falling in love just a little bit.

He hears Louis say to Liam in a low voice, “Did I miss any excitement?” and he’s got a lovely voice. 

“Not much,” Liam says sadly, “I kind of thought Ms. Jones was going to throw down with Zayn over the spa basket but she restrained herself.”

He sounds profoundly disappointed, but Harry’s glad it didn’t come to that, as he’s pretty sure Ms. Jones could take Zayn easily.

“You won Harry’s basket!” Niall says cheerfully, exchanging some sort of complicated fist-bump handshake ritual with Louis.

“Oh really?” Louis sounds interested. “What is it, then?”

Harry glances over again and his gaze meets deep blue eyes and a cheerful smile that makes him feel oddly breathless, and then a hand is being proffered.

“You must be Harry. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Louis says cheerfully, and he’s got a wonderful handshake, firm but not too tight, confident, but nothing to prove. “I can’t wait to see what I’ve won.”

Harry thinks you can tell a lot about a guy from his handshake and so far, he’s liking what he’s seeing. Or feeling. Whatever. He’s had three cups of the punch. He realizes that he’s still staring at Louis while shaking his hand and it’s starting to get a bit awkward.

“Oh yeah,” he says a bit nonsensically, “Hi! Louis, hello. Yes, you’ve won—”

“Riding lessons,” Niall says, leaning around Harry to look Louis meaningfully in the eye, “From Harry.”

Louis’ eyes widen and he looks from Niall to Harry. “Like…”

“Yes,” Niall says firmly and with great emphasis, “ _Riding_ lessons.”

“Oh really?” Louis is staring at Harry with a surprised but pleased expression, and while Louis doesn’t really _look_ like the kind of guy who's dying to learn to ride, Harry reminds himself that at Styles Equestion School, they never judge a book by his devastatingly attractive cover, and if Louis wants to learn to ride, well, learn to ride he shall.

“The special lessons,” Niall says and Harry doesn’t have any idea what the fuck he’s talking about but Louis is nodding so Harry shrugs to himself.

So Harry just smiles again, hoping he doesn’t look too manic and then flushes as he drops Louis’ hand and turns back to watch the excitement. He hears Niall snicker under his breath and throws an elbow without looking. Louis gives a yelp and Harry whips around in despair.

“Oh my god,” he says and then sees Ms. Jones glaring at him, and drops his tone to a whisper, “I’m so sorry, that was meant for Niall, I wasn’t looking.”

Louis rubs his side and says only, “No problem,” and Harry offers him a weak smile, and turns back once more to the raffle, resolving never to leave the farm again.

The next basket is one he’d put a few tickets in for, it’s several bottles of wine and a gift card to the local liquor store, but it goes to Liam instead. Harry sighs. Liam has the most amazing luck at raffles, it’s uncanny. And, he thinks, a bit resentfully, Liam doesn’t even _like_ wine, doesn’t know an oaked Chardonnay from a steel-aged Pinto Grigio, for Christ’s sake, but his resentment mostly fades as Liam gives a little shriek of happiness and runs up to get his basket. He returns to their little group beaming and promptly shoves the basket into Harry’s arms.

“Wait, what?” Harry asks in confusion as Liam plants a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“S’for you, man. I know you love that fancy wine, so I figured if I won it, I’d give it to you, and I did win!” Liam does a little jig of happiness, and Zayn sighs.

“No more punch,” Zayn says sternly and Liam’s face falls.

“But Zayn,” Liam says sadly, “I love this punch.”

Zayn snorts. “I know, babe, but I’m pretty sure I saw Ms. Jones adding Everclear, and you have clinic at 8 am tomorrow. If you want to be in any shape to do your job, you gotta stop now. Drink some Sprite, I’m pretty sure that’s safe,” and Liam wanders off with a pout to do as he’s told.

The last raffle is pulled, and the event is over. Harry balances his wine basket, which is, unsurprisingly, quite heavy, on his hip as he makes his way towards the door

He bumps into Louis and takes a deep breath, willing himself not to be quite such a dork.

“So,” he says, striving for aimiable, “Riding lessons, huh?”

Louis starts and looks around nervously for a moment, and then gives Harry a smile that almost feels flirtatious. “I mean, yeah of course.”

“Do you have any experience?” Harry asks and Louis chokes.

“Err, well, you know. A little? It’s been a while.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Harry says, distracted by the weight of his wine basket, “Definitely makes it easier, so you won’t be scared.”

“Err,” Louis is frowning, “I mean, I definitely won’t be scared.” He takes a breath, “For the special lessons.”

Harry just nods, eager to get to his truck and get home. “Of course, all my lessons are special. My number’s on the flyer, so just text me when you want to get started, okay?”

He gives Louis an absent-minded smile, mind already racing ahead to everything he as to do tomorrow, and he heads out the door.

He doesn’t hear from Louis until later in the week, when he gets a text from an unfamiliar number.

**617-555-1212** : _Hey, Harry. It’s Louis, from the gala_

Harry quickly saves the number under the name “Louis for Riding Lessons” and adds a couple of horse emojis just to make it special.

**Harry** : _Hey there, Louis! You ready to get back in the saddle?_

**Louis** : _I mean, yeah, if you want to get right to it? I was thinking we could take it slow, you know. Get to know each other a bit._

**Harry** : _Oh my goodness, of course! I never want to take things too fast. It’s always better to take it slow, you know. Especially if it’s been a while, I don’t want you getting too sore the first time and not having any fun!_

**Louis** : _… So you want people to have a good time, huh? That’s so generous of you._

**Harry** : _I mean, of course! Riding’s the best, it’s so fun. My favorite thing!_  

Here Harry debates adding a winky face but decides against it. Louis’s gorgeous, of course, but as long as he’s a client of Styles Equestrian, he’s going to have to keep it professional. And he’s not sure why wanting his paying clients to have a great time is generous. It just seems more like good business sense to him.

**Louis** : _So, when did you want to get going on this?_

**Harry** : _Hold on, lemme check my calendar_

He pulls out the schedule book and looks through it. He’s pretty busy for the several days, but he notes that he has no Saturday show the following weekend and that his last lesson is at 5. If he schedules Louis for 7:00, that gives him time to eat and get showered, and they’ll still have close to two hours of sunlight.

**Harry** : _How about 7, on the 23rd? I know it’s a Saturday night, would that work? I mean,_ [he feels compelled to add], _you might be busy or something._

**Louis** : _Nope, no plans! Still new in town right, that’s why Niall suggested this!_

**Harry** : _Oh, riding’s a great way to make new friends!_

**Louis** : _I don’t know why he was so sure I’d win the raffle though. Anyway, I’ll text you closer to the day and get the details worked out, okay? I am *really* looking forward to it!_

He adds a winky face, some confetti and the very same horse emoji that Harry’s put in his contact info, and Harry can’t help being endeared. Sometimes the raffle winners are truly excruciating to work with, but sometimes they’re great fun.

The days go by quickly. Harry spends the weekend at a show up in Maine, and three of his riders do exceptionally well.  He comes back to three inquiries for riding lessons and another person looking to board their horse. No one gets sick, and he’s got enough in the bank to cover all his bills for the month. Basically, it’s a great week.

He gets a text from Louis on Thursday.

**Louis** : _Hey Harry, just wanted to touch base about Saturday. Wondering what I should wear, if you want to go out before or anything?_

Harry frowns, a little confused.

**Harry** : _Just anything comfortable, you know! Boots if you have them! We can just head out to the pasture as soon as you get here._

**Louis** : _Sounds great! Haven’t been out in ages. And you want me to wear my boots? Sounds interesting ha ha!_

Harry frowns even harder, feeling like it’s possible he’s missed something here, but for the life of him, he can’t think what, so he just goes with—

**Harry** : _Of course, Louis! Safety first in all things!_

And Louis just replies with a laughing/crying emoji, and then inexplicably, a rainbow, the alien and fireball.

Saturday comes and it’s beautiful. It’s warm enough that you can be out in a t-shirt, but not so warm that you’re getting too hot and sweaty. The sky is crystalline blue studded with fluffy white clouds, and the rolling hills are covered in the green haze of new growth. It ends up being an easy day, and Emily McAdams finally masters the trot. Harry waves her and her beaming daddies off and then heads into the house. He’s got a very special riding lesson to prepare for.

He eats some leftovers and hops in the shower. He shaves, ignoring the fact that this feels much more like preparing for a date than a business transaction.  He pulls on clean breeches and his best Captain America socks. It’s still pretty warm out, but he knows it’s going to cool off as the sun starts to set, so he pulls on one of his favorite t-shirts. It’s a little risque, he thinks, but he loves it. It’s got the stylized outline of a horses head and says in flowery script, “Simmer down cowboy, I was staring at your horse.”

He’s heading down the stairs when he hears the sound of a car pulling into the driveway and he glances at his watch, surprised that it’s already 7:00.

He’s just stepped out onto the front porch when Louis hops out of a small, red sports car and Harry’s jaw drops.

Louis is wearing very very small, very very tight, black shorts of some sort of spandex material, and dear God, what looks to be a mesh shirt, along with battered black cowboy boots. And, Harry honestly feels a little faint, because Louis is shimmering in the late afternoon sun and Harry can see the sparkle of glitter on his well-toned biceps. Harry takes a shuddering breath and tries to will some of the blood back into his brain from where it’s traveled to points south.

Louis approaches the steps to the porch looking a bit self-conscious.

“Is it too much?” he asks, running a hand through his tousled hair, which is gleaming, shot through with chestnut and streaks of auburn. “I haven’t been to the Pasture in ages, but this is the kind of thing we used to wear, back in the day.” He looks doubtfully at his feet. “Never wore the boots for dancing, but you seemed insistent.” He flashes a coquettish smile. “Never let it be said that I deny a many who wants to give me… riding lessons.”

Harry is entirely unsure of how to parse all the words Louis’ just spoken. He thinks that they should make sense, but they really don’t. And those shorts are also very small and leave almost nothing to the imagination. Not that Harry’s going to judge anyone for what they wear, but he’s concerned about chafing. He pictures Louis’ thighs clenching around Lady’s body, and feels a bit faint.

“Um,” he says eloquently, “I. Louis. Wow.”

“Fuck, it’s too much, isn’t it.” Louis sighs. “I have to be honest, I’m really nervous about this, Harry. I haven’t really done it like this before.”

Harry just stares at him. He’s pretty sure they’re both speaking English, and he used to be fluent, but he’s stymied as to what’s going on here. He’s sure he’d have noticed pretty boys in micro shorts hanging out in his pasture, but Louis makes it sound like it had once been a regular occurrence.

“You haven’t gone riding? But you said…”

“Well, yeah, honestly, mostly I’ve been ridden, you know? But Niall said you’re flexible.”

What. Oh no. Harry works to keep his voice even, which given how breathless he is, what with the glitter and the mesh and all, is really a feat, “What did Niall tell you?”

“He said,” Louis begins and then freezes, “Oh god. Oh my god.” He looks horrified as he stares at the horses milling around in the paddock, and then glances up at the lovely wooden sign hanging over the driveway proclaiming this to be Styles Equestrian School. “You teach riding lessons. Like, _riding_. On horses.”

“Um, yes?” Harry says, wondering if Louis were expecting llamas or elephants or something. “That’s what I do?” A suspicion is beginning to build in his mind though and he asks, “What exactly did you think Niall was signing you up for? I mean, it was a preschool gala, for fuck’s sake.”

“I don’t know,” Louis says exasperatedly, dropping down to sit despondently on the steps. “We were out drinking a few weeks ago, and I was…” he flushes and Harry can’t help noticing that the flush sets of his blue eyes in a most fetching way, “You know, bemoaning the lack of adult company, and he suggested that you might be interested in, you know.”

“Oh god,” Harry says, sinking down next to Louis, “Special riding lessons.” He makes a note to punch Niall the next time he sees him, and then remembers a night where they’d been out drinking and he’d also been bemoaning the lack of men in his life, and he realizes he can’t blame Niall because he himself had ended the night by draping himself over Niall and begging him to find him, oh god, Harry buries his face in his hands and groans.

“What?” Louis asks and Harry looks up to meet his amused smile.

“I might have had one of those moments too,” he admits, “And I might have been carried out of Jake’s begging Niall to find me someone to, you know. Ride me.”

Harry can feel himself flushing and takes comfort in the fact that at least they’re both embarrassed together. Louis pulls out his phone and is sending a text.

Harry asks, “So what exactly did he say to you?”

Louis shrugs and sets his phone down. “He just said I should talk to you, see if you might be interested, he’s been saying for ages now that we’d get along. But that you were shy, so if I just asked you for the special lessons, you’d know what I meant.”

His phone chirps and he picks it up, and laughs, and hands it to Harry to read.

**Louis** : _We’re on to you, Horan. Harry had no idea what you meant by special riding lessons, so I showed up here for a night out dancing in the queerest drag bar in Montpelier, and he’s thinking he’s getting me up on a horse tonight._

Niall’s replied only with a series of emojis that include the DNA, several heart-eye faces, a bunny rabbit, a rocket, and, of course, the eggplant and water droplets combo.

**Louis** : _How’d you know I’d win the raffle._

**Niall** : _Stuffed the box with every ticket you bought. It’s all probability, you know._

Harry laughs at that and hands the phone back. He can’t help noticing the way Louis’ quads look, and the curve of his calf where it meets the battered leather of his boot, and that reminds him.

“What do you mean, dancing at a drag bar?”

“The Pasture? Over on St. Paul’s street behind the Library?”

“Oh god,” Harry laughs, “That place closed a few years ago, I’m sorry to say.”

“Aww,” Louis says, “We used to go when I was in college,” he looks down at the mesh shirt, “Maybe this is a bit young for me these days anyway.”

“So,” Harry says, leaning back on his elbows and tipping his face up to the sky, letting the sun warm his cheeks. “What do you want to do now?”

Louis shrugs. “I was going to just go home and try and sneak in without Ms. Jones seeing me in this getup, but…” he gives Harry an appraising look and Harry looks over to see Louis’ eyes dart to his lips and then back up to meet his gaze. “I’d be interested in… you know, other things too.”

“Well, I was thinking,” Harry says, his voice going low and husky, “We could go inside…”

“Un huh,” Louis says, leaning in a bit.

“Go upstairs to my bedroom…” Harry says, bringing one hand up to toy with the neckline of his shirt.

“I’m listening,” Louis murmurs, leaning even closer.

“Get you out of those clothes…”

“And then?” Louis asks, practically nose to nose with Harry, “What were you thinking about then?”

“And then,” Harry says cheerfully, “I can lend you some breeches and t-shirt and we can get you up in the saddle today.” He leaps to his feet and watches Louis’ face drop for a moment and then when Louis sees Harry’s expression, he bursts out laughing and lets Harry haul him up to standing.

They look at each other, still laughing, and then suddenly, it feels to Harry like there’s a moment here, happening right now, and if he misses, he thinks, he might regret it for a long time. He steps forward and reaches up to trail his fingers down Louis’ jaw, whose eyes widen and Harry can hear the breath he takes.

“I like the glitter, Louis,” he says softly, mimicking Louis’ movements from earlier, leaning in a bit.

“At least half of that’s from your fucking certificate,” Louis breathes out and meets him halfway.

The kiss is gentle, not quite perfect, and it takes them a moment to figure out the angle, the pressure, the movement that works, but, Harry thinks, with the sounds of the horses over by the barn, the buzzing of bees, the warmth of the early summer sun streaming over them, it’s exactly right.

“You know,” Harry says, pulling back reluctantly after a glorious few moments, “I really would like to get to know you? I mean, I’m not averse to…” he bites his lip and snickers, “Special riding lessons, though something tells me you really don’t need any help in that area, but I already  know I like what I’m seeing, and I’d like to know more.”

Louis smiles, slow and sweet, and reaches up to touch Harry’s face and then presses a quick kiss to his lips. “I’d like that too. But come on.” He heads up the stairs into the house and calls over his shoulder. “I need to get changed, chop chop, hurry it up. Daylight’s wasting and I’ve got a horse to ride!”

Harry laughs and follows him into the house.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction, meant only to entertain. Please don’t break the 4th wall or post anywhere else! 
> 
> As always, the words, as well as the errors, are mine. 
> 
> Feel free to [come say hi on Tumblr!](http://phd-mama.tumblr.com/) If you enjoyed this, the rest of my stuff can be [found here!](http://archiveofourown.org/users/phdmama/works)
> 
> Even better, [here's a rebloggable Tumblr post](https://phd-mama.tumblr.com/post/183202684718/do-you-wanna-ride) \- I'd appreciate it so much if you reblogged!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and I appreciate every kudos and comment so much!!


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